Portable shackle line pick-up device



Oct. 18, 1932. R. v. PLYLER PORTABLE SHACKLE LINE PICK-UP DEVICE FiledMay 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Swen cor,

Oct. 18, 1932- V, P E 1,882,878

PORTABLE SHACKLE LINE PICK-UP DEVICE Filed May 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES RUSH VANN PLYLER,

OF SARATOGA, TEXAS PORTABLE SHAGKLE LINE PICK-UP DEVICE Applicationfiled May 21,

This invention relates to a portable shackle line pick-up device andmore particularly to adevice of the above nature that is automatic andpositive in operation.

It has become common practice in the oil v ,1 fields to operate thepumping acks or a numher of wells located at different points in thefield from a common or central power unit. This unit is in constantoperation and provision must be made, therefore, to permit the pumpjacks to be disconnected from the power source when, for any reason,such as repair or replacement of parts, it is found desirable ornecessary to cut out one or more of the wells of the group derivingpower from the central power unit.

If one of the pump jacks were so disconnected without some provisionbeing made to support the shackle line, which is the line connecting thepump jack with the power line, the weight of the pump rods andassociated mechanisms would cause the same to drop in the well andthereby pull the shackle line away from the power source.

This is undesirable because it means the loss of an appreciable amountof time and the expenditure of considerable effort to again restore theshackle line to position so that it can once more be attached to thepower unit.

The present device, therefore, aims to pro- Vide a construction thatwill operate automatically to hold the shackle line while slack is beingtaken up preparatory to the final connection with the power unit andwhich can be used to hook-off the shackle line from the source of powerwhen it is found necessary to shut down any particular well of thegroup.

Among the objects of the invention are to be found its portability,enabling it to be easily carried from place to place; its adaptabilityto any of the shackle lines in the group without change of construction;its automatic action permitting the hooking-on or hookingoff to beaccomplished by one operator where two were previously required; itssafety in 1930. Serial No. 454,500.

manipulation since the attendant is not required to come in contact withany moving parts when the shackle line is being pickedup and its simple,rugged and inexpensive construction.

lVith these and other objectsinmind,which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention consists in the combination and arrangement ofparts herein shown, described and specifically claimed, it beingunderstood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes solely andare not to be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.

In the drawings forming part hereof:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating an installa tion, parts of the powerunit being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal sectional view of the device asapplied to a shackle line.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with the guard plate partially elevated.

Fig. 1 is a front view with theguard plate lowered, and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a cylindrical casing isshown as indicated at 1 provided with an open front end 2 and a closedrear end 3.

The wall of the casing 1 is slotted as at 4 throughout its length andthis slot is continued through the rear wall 3 as indicated at 5 tocommunicate with an opening 6 passing centrally through the rear wall 3.

The bore of the casing 1 is provided with an inwardly tapered annularseat 7 against which the conical segmental slip 8 fits, the conicalfaces of the slip 8 and the tapered seat 7 cooperating to wedge theslipagainst the shackle line 9 when moved in one direction and torelease the slip when moved oppositely, it being understood that thelongitudinal dimensions of the slip are such as to permit limitedlongitudinal movement thereof within the casing 1.

The slip 8 is here illustrated as comprising three segments each havinggripping teeth 10 on their inner faces but it is obvious that the slipmay be of other construction and that the number of segments may beincreased or decreased as desired.

In order to limit movement of the slip 8 within the cylindrical casing 1and to prevent the same from being expelled from the open end 2, a guardplate 11 having a slot 12 terminating in a central circular enlargement13 therein, is pivoted to the casing 1 by means of links 14 and 15secured on opposite sides of the casing by headed studs 16 and 17threaded into suitable openings in the easing 1.

Enlargement 13 receives the shackle line 9 when the guard plate is inlowered position and the plate can be swung so as to remove the samefrom engagement with the slip 8 because of the slot 12.

The links 14 and 15 project through suitable openings in the guard plate11 and are provided at the free ends with threaded portions 18 and 19receiving the nuts 20 and 21.

Surrounding the links 14: and 15 and lying against the outer face of theguard plate 11 are washers 22 and 23. Similar washers 24 and 25 bearagainst the inner faces of the nuts 20 and 21 and between the sets ofwashers 22, 24 and 23, 25, coil springs 26 and 27 are mounted, eachspring surrounding its respective link.

It will be seen, therefore, that the springs 26 and 27 normally urge theguard plate 11 when lowered against the open end 2 of the casing andhold the same in such position as to prevent removal of the slip 8. Byadjusting the nuts 20 and 21 compression of the springs 26 and 27 may bevaried as found necessary.

On opposite sides of the casing 1 adjacent the rear end thereof hooks 28and 29 are provided by means of which the device can be secured to thebumper post and after removal from the shackle line it may be readilycarried from place to place by means of the handle 30 projecting fromthe top thereof.

Having described in detail the various parts of my invention, theoperation is as follows, reference being had to Fig. 1 wherein a typicalinstallation is illustrated.

In this view a conventional power unit is illustrated at A having theusual eccentric B which reciprocates the power rod C. The short powerrod C is equipped with a clamp D having an elongated eye E. The shackleline 9 is provided at its free end with a similar clamp F and theshackle line 9 passes through a bumper post G with the clamp F on thepower side thereof.

Under normal working conditions, the two clamps D and F are connected bymeans of a single pick-up hook H so that rotation of the eccentric Bimparts reciprocating motion to the power line C and shackle line 9.

However, when the shackle line is first being connected to the power, itis necessary to use a set or plurality of pick-up hooks H between theclamps D and F as will be explained later.

The bumper G through which the shackle line 9 extends serves to hold theend of the shackle line up off the ground and also as a retainer to holdthe power end of the shackle line within a few feet of the power unitinstead of permitting it to be pulled backwards toward the well wheneverthe shackle lines become disengaged from the power. This is accomplishedby the clamp F striking the bumper post as the shackle line is runthrough the body thereof.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the present invention is installed on theshackle line 9 on the power side of the bumper post G but between saidpost and the clamp F The action of the present invention may beexplained in the following manner:

Consider the shackle line 9 to be disengaged from the power unit A dueto a break in the shackle line or to the necessity of making repairs onthe well. The power unit, however, continues to operate because of thefact that it is employed to actuate the pumping acks on a number ofother wells in the v group. Under such conditions the clamps D and F arenot connected and the clamp D reciprocates freely on the ground andclamp F hangs against the power side of the bumper post G. When it isdesired to connect the well to the power, enough slack is pulled in onthe shackle line 9 to permit installation of the present inventionbetween the bumper post G and the clamp F. To install the pickup deviceit is merely necessary to slip the cylindrical casing l laterally overthe shackle line 9 until the casing comes to rest with the shackle linepositioned in the central aperture 6 in the casing 1, the slip is theninserted in the bore of the device around the rod and the guard plate 11is pulled down over the face of the slip to hold it in place and thedevice is then securely held in position against the power side of thebumper post by passing a suitable chain around the bumper post andengaging its ends with the hooks 28 and 29.

Having been installed, it will be seen that with the side sweep of theeccentric B extended toward the shackle line 9 the clamps D and F areconnected by means of a set or plurality of pick-up hooks H. As theeccentric then rotates through 180 the shackle line is pulled inwardlytoward the power. However, there is always a certain amount of slack inthe shackle line due to its own weight, to the lost motion in the movingparts of the pumping ack and to the loose method of making thisconnection. Thus the first connection of the clamps D and F does nottransmit the reciprocating motion of the eccentric through the shackleline to the pumping jack of the well. It is in this instance that thepresent invention functions, for the slack in the shackle line which waspulled in toward the power during the rotation of the eccentric B iscaught and held by the slip 8. Therefore, the power end of the shackleline is held rigid during the balance of the cycle of the eccentric andthe back thrust of the eccentric, that is, when the wide sweep thereofis again moving toward the shackle line, releases the tension on thepickup hooks H and they disengage from the clamps D and F and drop free.The clamps D and F are then connected with one less pick-up hook sincethe relative position of the clamp F has been advanced toward the powerunit A.

The second cycle of the eccentric pulls in more slack in the shackleline and these operations are repeated until all of the slack has beenpulled in when the clamps D and F may be connected with a singlepermanent hook whereby the motion of the eccentric transmitsreciprocating motion through the shackle line to the pumping ack of thewell.

In order to permit the reciprocation of the shackle line 9 thr ugh thecylindrical casing 1, some means must be provided for removing the slip8 and this is accomplished by elevating the guard plate 11 justbeforethe final connection is to be made, so that the reciprocation of theshackle line 9 toward the power will cause the slip 8 to be expelledfrom the casing 1. Thus the return stroke of the shackle line will notbe prevented and the permanent pickup hook will not be disengaged fromthe clamps D and F.

The permanent connection having been made, the device may then beunchained from the bumper post, lifted off the shackle line andtransferred to another location.

It is believed to be obvious that when it is desired to use the presentinvention for hookingbfi' the shackle line from the power, the device isused in substantially the same manner, that is, the casing is placedover the shackle line, the slip 8 inserted in the tapered bore and theguard plate 11 swung downwardly so as to prevent expulsion of the slip 8whereupon the back sweep of the eccentric B will cause the permanenthook between the clamps D and F to become disengaged.

Having now completely described the invention and its manner of use, itwill be seen that a very compact and rugged construction is providedwhich is entirely automatic in operation and which can be manipulatedwith ease and safety by a single operator as dis tinguished from knownmethods in which it is necessary for one operator to take up the slackin the chain or in the ack assembly as the shackle line is picked up anda second operator is required to insert the sets of pickup hooks. Anymishaps in the operation result in injury to the operators and it iswell known that many operators have actually lost a finger in thismanner.

confined within and freely slidable in said casing to permit movement ofthe shackle line therethrough in one direction only.

2. The combination with a central power unit and a bumper post having ashackle line passing therethrough, a pick-up device comprising a casingsecured to said bumper post and having a tapered bore thereinsurrounding said shackle line and a slip confine within and freelyslidable in said casing cooperating with said tapered bore to grip saidshackle line and prevent motion thereof in one direction.

3. The combination with a central power unit and a bumper post having ashackle line extending therethrough, of a pick-up device on said bumperpost comprising a casing through which the shackle line extends andsliding means freely confined within the casing automatically operableto prevent mo-.

tion of the shackle line through the casing in one direction. 7

4. The combination with a central power unit and a bumper post having a.shackle lineextending therethrough, of a pick-up device comprising acasing secured to said post and having a tapered bore therein throughwhich the shackle line extends, a tapered slip confined within andfreely slidable in said bore and surrounding the shackle line, said slipbeing automatically operable to engage the shackle line and preventmotion thereof through the casing in one direction.

5. The combination with a central power unit and a bumper post throughwhich a shackle line extends, of a pick-up device comprising a casing onsaid post through which the shackle line extends, means freely movableand confined within said casing for preventing motion of the shackleline therethrough in one direction, and means associated with saidcasing for preventing expulsion of the first mentioned means from thecasing when the shackle line is moving in the opposite direction.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a borethrough which a reciprocating shackle line is adapted to pass, a slipconfined within and freely slidable in said bore automatically operableto engage the shackle line and prevent movement thereof in onedirection, and means on the casing for preventing expulsion of the slipfrom the casing when the shackle line moves in the opposite direction.

7. A device of the class described comprising a casing having a taperedbore through which a reciprocating shackle line is adapted to pass, atapered slip confined within and.

freely slidable within said bore surrounding said shackle line andcooperating with the taper of the bore to automatically grip the shackleline when moved in one direction and a guard plate secured to saidcasing and engaging said slip to prevent expulsion thereof from thecasing when the shackle line is moved in the opposite direction.

8. A device of the character described comprising a casing having anopen end and a tapered bore through which a reciprocating shackle lineis adapted to pass, a tapered slip in said bore surrounding the shackleline and cooperating with the tapered bore to grip the shackle line whenmoved in one direction, and a plate movable into position to close theopenend of said cylindrical casing.

9. A device of the class described comprisinga casing having a taperedbore and an open end, a tapered slip within said bore cooperatingtherewith to expand or contract the slip and a guard plate pivoted tosaid casing and movable to close the open end of the casing and retainthe slip therein.

10. In a device of the character described comprising a cylindricalcasing having an open end and a tapered bore through which a shackleline is adapted to pass, a tapered slip within'said bore surrounding theshackle line and cooperating with the taper bore to prevent movement ofthe shackle line in one direction, a guard plate pivoted to said casingand operable to close the open end thereof and retain the slip withinthe casing.

11. A device of the character described comprising a casing throughwhich a reciprocating shackle line is adapted to pass, a slip withinsaid casing automatically operable to prevent movement of the shackleline in one direction, a guard plate pivoted to said casing operable toretain the slip within the casing, and means for yieldingly pressingsaid guard plate against the end of said slip.

12. The combination with a central power unit and a bumper post, of acasing on said bumper post having an aperture therein adapted to receivea shackle line, a slip in said casing to permit movement of the shackleline therethrough in one direction only and means associated with saidcasing operable to allow automatic expulsion of the slips from thecasing when the shackle line moves in the opposite direction.

13. The combination with a central power unit including a pow-er lineand a bumper post, of a casing on said bumper post having a centralaperture therein adapted to receive a shackle line, a slip in saidcasing to permit movement of the shackle line therethrough in onedirection only, means for connecting the power and shackle lines, andmeans on the casing operable to allow automatic expulsion of the slipfrom the casing when the shackle line moves in the opposite direction.

14. The combination with a constantly operating central power unit and abumper signature.

RUSH VANN PLYLER.

